A Dying Torch in the Dawn
by FlufferNutter Sandwich
Summary: Story on indefinite hiatus due to disinterest in the subject matter.
1. Spawn

**Chapter One: Spawn**

Imagine dying, and waking up again. A few million times over and over again. Always getting a little older each death, but losing a life time upon awaking. In this world, this is how things are done. Not completely remembering your old life, but at the same time, somehow building upon it.

It begins foggily. Images are flashing and memories fleeing.

I sit up abruptly. My mind a blank slate, with only the faintest inkling of what had just past. No matter. I had died and now I can start my life anew. The grass is cool underneath me, which is a nice change from the memory of hot sun that still lingers on my tan skin. I check my pack to see if there is anything in my inventory that would be of use in this forest. Only a flint and steel greets me. My face twists in confusion. The object you spawn with is something that is relevant to you in one way or another. Am I a trickster? I shake the idea way, for I don't feel like an evil person. I could just have a fiery temper. If only I could remember my last talisman. I brush off the mystery as well as the dirt on my jeans and stand.

The green clearing in which I had spawned will make a satisfactory home. Leaves and grass crunch under my boots as I construct a small base for shelter. There is an abundance of wood in the forest around me so I use that to build and as a starting point for gathering resources. I mine and hunt through the afternoon and I slowly fill my inventory with ores and supplies.

The stars are starting to twinkle above me as I shear the last bit of wool for a bed. While mumbling about the lack of sheep in the area, I hear a grown behind me. I whip out a freshly crafted sword as a moaning, molding zombie lumbers up to me. I thrust my sword into its head and slay it. I hear other sounds of a horde of the undead and sprit back to my sturdy abode.

_What? _I see a bright orange glow emanating from the location of my house. I run faster still as I come upon my shack in flames. I immediately halt and check my inventory. My flint and steel are still there, as is everything else I had gathered. I have no bucket of water on me but I am not to heartbroken; I will not lose anything of value to the fire.

A falling block of wood causes me to jump away from the flames. But as it lands, an enchanted diamond sword flies past and embeds itself into the smoldering block. I grip my sword tighter and stumble backwards as a dark cloaked figure appears, frees the sword and walks toward me. I see the flash of diamond from under his cloak. I am out matched severely with my stone sword and leather boots. I do not surrender however; I fight back with everything I have. As we duel, sparks flying as our swords make contact, the weight of the day inconveniently decides to falls on me and I stumble. The cloaked man uses this falter to his advantage and lands a hard blow to my side. A gash opens and I fall to my knees. I fumble for my sword but the man kicks it back towards the burning shack. The diamond reflects the flames as he raises it above my head, ready to finish me off. Suddenly an arrow comes from somewhere to the right of me and strikes the wielding hand, making the man drop the sword out of pain. Two more arrows land in his head and he falls to the ground, dead. The last thing I see is another cloaked figure with a bow running towards me. I try to stay conscious but everything quickly fades into nothingness.

* * *

The girl collapses on to the ground as I sprint towards her. Her long red hair fans out under her. I drag her further away from the growing flames and next to a little pond at the edge of the clearing. Her wound is large and life threatening. I reach into my inventory and pull out my needle and thread to begin to stich up her side. I look over her. She looks like she hasn't been here more than the day, but at the same time like she has lived had many life times. Her yellow shirt is torn and stained with blood. She groans and her eyes flicker. In the flame they are a beautiful combination of yellow, orange and red. So unique. Just like the embers that settle on the fire.

"What-"she starts to say. I hush her. She gives me an annoyed look.

"Sleep, you are safe" I assure her. Her face gives away that she would rather argue, but the pain pulls her back into slumber.

I lean against a tree, an arrow notched in my bow. I gaze off into the night, watching for enemy mobs. The night is cool but at the same time warmed by the hut blazing like a bonfire. I pick off mobs and work on crafting a new bow and an iron helmet for the girl for when she wakes up. She can hold her own no doubt, but better weapons and armor can always sway a fight. I stay with her through the night and protect her as the hut is reduced to embers and the blessed dawn slowly makes its way forward.

**Hey! Welcome! You made it to the end of the chapter! You get a free sandwich! Thanks for reading and if you feel inclined to do so, leave a review! If I continue this story, new chapters will be few and far between. (At least maybe until summer.) Again thank you and have a good ****one!**

**-FlufferNutter-**


	2. Meat and Greet

Chapter 2: Meat and Greet

Everything is burning. Fire, ash, embers. Smoke fills my lungs.

Then, rain

* * *

I wake to the smell of fresh pine and stale smoke. I open my eyes and see a brown cloak covering me. It is just past dawn and my hut is a pile of ashes. Next to me is an iron helmet and a bow. I reach for the helmet but stop as I feel the pain in my side. I sit up and lift my shirt a little. My side is expertly stitched up and mended. It should be healed soon. I put on the helmet and lift the cloak and bow as I stand. I look around. Not much has changed from the previous night except I am closer to the pond and the corpse of my attacker is lying next to the ashes.

"I thought that you would want to be the one who burnt him." A male voice like water said behind me. I spin around and find my savior. A boy about the same age as me stands next to the pond, brushing his blond hair out of his face. His eyes are the color of a deep ocean. He wears a blue shirt, jeans and black boots with a bow and quiver strapped to his back.

"Your attacker must have been strong in magic because only his corpse, cloak and sword are still here." He says walking towards me. He must see my confusion displayed on my face because he sputters out an explanation.

"I mean, he still has his clothes, but the rest of his inventory and armor were gone. He must have used some kind of enchantment to send them back if he died. His sword is over next to him. You should have it. By the way, my name is Aaron."

I walk over to Aaron and hand him his cloak. He takes it and quickly puts it on. I turn and walk up to my attacker. He appears to be some sort of solider, a lackey. I pick up his sword, sharpness and fire aspect, and slide it into the leather sheath that had housed my stone sword. I pull out my flint and steel. Aaron looks at it with a weird expression. I kick the graying body into the still warm ashes and set it ablaze. I turn around and face Aaron.

"Thank you for saving my life. My name is Ember. Do you have any rope?" I ask.

Aaron tosses me a length of cord. I sting my flint and steel on it and tie it to my waist as belt. I can easily access my talisman from there.

"Is that your talisman?" questions Aaron.

"Yes." I say. Aaron pulls out a pendant from under his shirt. It is a circle of iron with a blue stone inside.

"It's not diamond if that's what you're thinking." He states "I think it's lapis lazuli. Are you hungry?"

My stomach answers with a groan that makes Aaron look around dramatically for zombies. I smile at his joke. He smiles back and heads over to a still standing furnace at the center of the ruins. He pulls out two pieces of steak and carefully makes his way over to me. We sit a few feet away from my burning assailant and he offers me some. I accept the steak and we eat. Aaron surprises me by being a good cook.

"This is really good," I say, wiping my mouth. "Were did you learn to cook? And treat a wound for that matter?"

He finishes off his steak before replying. "I worked as sort of a handy man in a village a ways away. I'm a fast learner and if someone needed something done, they called me. I know all sorts of stuff. I build homes, repair shoes and I can make the best cake you've ever tasted."

"Impressive." I say, "How far is this village?"

Clouds briefly cross his face, but disappears just as quickly.

"A couple weeks travel maybe. Not really that close. I was heading to a village up north when I saw the smoke."

I smile at him, "Well I'm glad you were here."

Aaron smiles back and I can practically see the torch light up above his head.

"Hey, I have an idea. This patch of land is kinda in the middle of nowhere, the road is quite a ways away; do you want to come with me to the village? It's the biggest city next to the capital, and probably the best place to learn the land. It's about a week's travel by foot, but we could pick up horses in one of the villages off the main road. How about it?"

I look around at the clearing, the spot of my spawn. I stand up and wipe my hands on my jeans. I hold out my hand.

"Deal" We shake.

* * *

Ember, how appropriate. She looks like the flame of a torch, and I can see the fire in her eyes. We walk side by side down the path, away from her spawn point, her talisman thumping against her side. My eyes keep trailing to it, her hair, and her whole body for that matter. I can't help but wonder…

* * *

**Hey! Welcome! You made it to the end of the SECOND CHAPTER! Thanks for joining me down here. Sandwiches for everyone! If you enjoyed what I wrote, and you feel like it, please feel welcome to leave a review. Shout outs to the following for reviewing/following/favoriting:**

**Marissa (Guest)**

**Lord Voldemort (Guest)**

**AghiTron (author) **

**Thank you to you guys and to everyone who makes it to the bottom. And a super shout out to author SoulErrorArWitch. They have been super supportive, so check out their story "A Hero's Destiny" Unlike me, they post regularly. Also, I have a little more explanation about how the universe works on my profile page if anyone is confused. Thanks again and have a good one!**

**-FlufferNutter-**


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